Port Phillip

Where Next?
Bob Williams
Fri 18 Jun 2021 06:20

 

Position: 38 19.04 S   144 42.91 E
At anchor off Portsea, Port Phillip
Wind: S, F2   Sea: calm   Swell: negligible
Weather: overcast, cool
Days run: 120 nm sailed, 65 nm made good

We had to sail almost double the direct distance from yesterday’s noon position to where we have anchored off Portsea, Port Phillip, primarily due to headwinds but also because we arrived off Port Phillip Heads a few hours before slack water. The Rip at the Heads is potentially quite dangerous due to overfalls, especially with wind against current as would have been the case this morning. So I reduced sail and gybed around back to the east to kill some time. Slack water was at 1347 according to the Victorian tide tables so I planned our approach into the Heads for about 1330.

I am pleased to say that all went well. We managed to keep well clear of an outbound car carrier on our way in and then sailed to the nearest place I could find that offered some shelter, which is where we are now. Here we will rest for the night and tomorrow will complete the last 30 odd miles of our voyage across Port Phillip to Melbourne.

All is well.